System and Method for Uplink Timing Synchronization

ABSTRACT

A system and method are disclosed for providing uplink timing synchronization in a wireless communication system. The uplink timing synchronization may be provided via a specific message sent from the user equipment to a network access device, or may be calculated based upon data received at the network access device from the user equipment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/015,401, filed Dec. 20, 2007, by Zhijun S. Cai, etal, entitled “System and Method for Uplink Timing Synchronization,”which is incorporated by reference herein as if reproduced in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

In traditional wireless telecommunications systems, transmissionequipment in a base station transmits signals throughout a geographicalregion known as a cell. As technology has evolved, more advanced networkaccess equipment has been introduced that can provide services that werenot possible previously. This advanced network access equipment mightinclude, for example, an enhanced node-B (eNB) rather than a basestation or other systems and devices that are more highly evolved thanthe equivalent equipment in a traditional wireless telecommunicationssystem. Such advanced or next generation equipment is typically referredto as long-term evolution (LTE) equipment. For LTE equipment, the regionin which a wireless device can gain access to a telecommunicationsnetwork might be referred to by a name other than “cell”, such as “hotspot”. As used herein, the term “cell” will be used to refer to anyregion in which a wireless device can gain access to atelecommunications network, regardless of whether the wireless device isa traditional cellular device, an LTE device, or some other device.

Devices that might be used by users in a telecommunications network caninclude both mobile terminals, such as mobile telephones, personaldigital assistants, handheld computers, portable computers, laptopcomputers, tablet computers and similar devices, and fixed terminalssuch as residential gateways, televisions, set-top boxes and the like.Such devices will be referred to herein as user equipment or UE.

Services that might be provided by LTE-based equipment can includebroadcasts or multicasts of television programs, streaming video,streaming audio, and other multimedia content. Such services arecommonly referred to as multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).An MBMS might be transmitted throughout a single cell or throughoutseveral contiguous or overlapping cells. The MBMS may be communicatedfrom an eNB to a UE using point-to-point (PTP) communication orpoint-to-multipoint (PTM) communication.

In wireless communication systems, transmission from the network accessequipment (e.g., eNB) to the UE is referred to as a downlinktransmission. Communication from the UE to the network access equipmentis referred to as an uplink transmission. Wireless communication systemsgenerally require maintenance of timing synchronization to allow forcontinued communications. Maintaining uplink synchronization can beproblematic, wasting throughput and/or decreasing battery life of an UEgiven that a UE may not always have data to transmit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is nowmade to the following brief description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like referencenumerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a cellular network according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a cell in a cellular network according toan embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a one possible uplink transmission channelfor LTE.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart corresponding to one UE embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart corresponding to one network access equipmentembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a wireless communications system including amobile device operable for some of the various embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a mobile device operable for some of thevarious embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of a software environment that may be implemented ona mobile device operable for some of the various embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 10 is an exemplary general purpose computer according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary diagram of modules in the UE.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary diagram of modules in the network accessequipment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood at the outset that although illustrativeimplementations of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure areprovided below, the disclosed systems and/or methods may be implementedusing any number of techniques, whether currently known or in existence.The disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrativeimplementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, includingthe exemplary designs and implementations illustrated and describedherein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claimsalong with their full scope of equivalents.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary cellular network 100 according to anembodiment of the disclosure. The cellular network 100 may include aplurality of cells 102 ₁, 102 ₂, 102 ₃, 102 ₄, 102 ₅, 102 ₆, 102 ₇, 102₈, 102 ₉, 102 ₁₀, 102 ₁₁, 102 ₁₂, 102 ₁₃, and 102 ₁₄ (collectivelyreferred to as cells 102). As is apparent to persons of ordinary skillin the art, each of the cells 102 represents a coverage area forproviding cellular services of the cellular network 100 throughcommunication from a network access equipment (e.g., eNB). While thecells 102 are depicted as having non-overlapping coverage areas, personsof ordinary skill in the art will recognize that one or more of thecells 102 may have partially overlapping coverage with adjacent cells.In addition, while a particular number of the cells 102 are depicted,persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a larger orsmaller number of the cells 102 may be included in the cellular network100.

One or more UEs 10 may be present in each of the cells 102. Althoughonly one UE 10 is depicted and is shown in only one cell 10212, it willbe apparent to one of skill in the art that a plurality of UEs 10 may bepresent in each of the cells 102. A network access equipment 20 in eachof the cells 102 performs functions similar to those of a traditionalbase station. That is, the network access equipments 20 provide a radiolink between the UEs 10 and other components in a telecommunicationsnetwork. While the network access equipment 20 is shown only in cell10212, it should be understood that network access equipment would bepresent in each of the cells 102. A central control 110 may also bepresent in the cellular network 100 to oversee some of the wireless datatransmissions within the cells 102.

FIG. 2 depicts a more detailed view of the cell 10212. The networkaccess equipment 20 in cell 10212 may promote communication via atransmitter 27, a receiver 29, and/or other well known equipment.Similar equipment might be present in the other cells 102. A pluralityof UEs 10 are present in the cell 10212, as might be the case in theother cells 102. In the present disclosure, the cellular systems orcells 102 are described as engaged in certain activities, such astransmitting signals; however, as will be readily apparent to oneskilled in the art, these activities would in fact be conducted bycomponents comprising the cells.

In each cell, the transmissions from the network access equipment 20 tothe UEs 10 are referred to as downlink transmissions, and thetransmissions from the UEs 10 to the network access equipment 20 arereferred to as uplink transmissions. The UE may include any device thatmay communicate using the cellular network 100. For example, the UE mayinclude devices such as a cellular telephone, a laptop computer, anavigation system, or any other devices known to persons of ordinaryskill in the art that may communicate using the cellular network 100.

The format of the uplink channel in LTE is shown schematically in FIG.3. The transmission can be one of a number of different bandwidths(e.g., 1.25, 5, 15, or 20 MHz). In the time domain, the uplink is brokeninto frames, sub-frames and slots. A slot 201 is made up of sevenorthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols 203. Two slots201 make up a sub-frame 205. A frame is a collection of 10 contiguoussub-frames. Because the exact details of a sub-frame 205 may varydepending upon the exact implementation of the LTE system, the followingdescription is provided as an example only. The first symbol of thesub-frame 207 is where the sounding reference symbol (SRS) is placed.The UE will transmit using a constant-amplitude and zero-autocorrelation(CAZAC) sequence so that more than one UE may transmit simultaneously.The demodulation (DM) reference symbol (RS) is placed on the fourthsymbol of each slot 209; and the control channel 211 is taken up by atleast one resource block on the very outside edges of the frequencyband.

The SRS 207 is made available at the beginning, or end, of eachsub-frame 205 and is broken down into several blocks of 12 sub-carriersthat correspond to the same frequency bandwidth as a resource block. AUE may use one or all of those frequency blocks depending on thetransmission bandwidth selected. The UE may also use every otherfrequency in one or more multiple blocks. The transmission of SRSs 205is based on the time between subsequent SRS transmission by a single UE.FIG. 3 also shows where in time and frequency that the physical uplinkcontrol channel (PUCCH) 211 is placed. Control signaling takes place inthe PUCCH. In one embodiment, the system implements a hybrid automaticrepeat request (HARQ) acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement(NACK) feedback. An ACK or NACK is sent on the PUCCH 211 by the UE tothe eNB to indicate whether a packet transmitted from the eNB wasreceived at that UE. The physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) is usedto send user data.

The above description of the uplink channel is one implementation of anuplink channel proposed for LTE. It will be appreciated that otheruplink channel configurations may be used wherein an uplink timingreference signal transmission (e.g., SRS) is sent during any portion ofthe uplink message, not necessarily only at the beginning or end of aspecified time interval (e.g., slot).

In order to maintain uplink synchronization, it is desirable for thenetwork access equipment 20 (shown in FIG. 1) to calculate the uplinkchannel conditions by analyzing signals sent from the UE 10. Onepossible timing diagram of signals sent between the network accessequipment 20 and the UE 10 is shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, thenetwork access equipment 20 instructs the UE 10 when to send an uplinktiming reference signal transmission (e.g., SRS), through use of anuplink timing reference signal transmission instruction message 241. Theuplink timing reference signal transmission instruction message 241 mayinclude any one of a variety of instructions. For example, the networkaccess equipment 20 may instruct the UE 10 via the timing referencesignal transmission instruction message 241 to send the timing referencesignal transmissions at a constant rate, or in bursts depending on thevelocity of the UE 10 relative to the network access equipment 20. Inresponse 243, the UE 10 may send the timing reference signaltransmissions (e.g., SRS) in accordance with the instructions of thenetwork access equipment 20. However, the sending of the timingreference signal transmissions may result in a waste of networkresources and a drain on the UE battery if unnecessary. Alternatively,the UE 10 may choose not to send the timing reference signaltransmission if the UE 10 determines that the UE 10 will be sending datain the same time interval that the UE 10 would have sent the timingreference signal transmission. By sending data and not the timingreference signal transmission, the UE 10 avoids interference that canresult when the UE transmits its CAZAC sequence.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of such a method for uplink timingreference signal transmission in a UE 10. At block 251, the UE receivesan uplink timing reference signal instruction message. Then, at block253, the UE determines a time interval to send a timing reference signaltransmission in accordance with the timing reference signal instructionmessage. Next, at block 255, the UE evaluates its buffers to determineif there is uplink data to be sent. If there is no data to be sent, atblock 257 the UE sends the uplink timing reference signal transmissionin the time interval in accordance with the uplink timing referencesignal instruction message. However, if there is data to be sent, atblock 259 the UE send the data in the time interval.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a method performed by the networkaccess equipment 20. At block 261, the network access equipment 20 firstreceives the message. Then, at block 263 the network access equipment 20evaluates the time interval in which it expected to receive a timingreference signal instruction. If the network access equipment 20determines that no timing reference signal instruction was received,then at block 267 the network access equipment will calculate an uplinktiming alignment adjustment based upon the data received. For example,in an LTE system, the data comprises a DM RS. The eNB can then use theDM RS to calculate the uplink timing alignment adjustment. If however,the network access equipment determines that an uplink timing referencesignal transmission was received, at block 265 the network accessequipment calculates the uplink timing alignment adjustment based uponthe uplink timing reference signal transmission received.

In order to carry out the above process, the UE 10 comprises a processorcapable of performing the above process. For simplicity, the differentfunctions have been broken out into different modules. These modules maybe implemented separately or together. Further, these modules may beimplemented in hardware, software, or some combination. Finally, thesemodules may reside in different portions of the UE memory. Asillustrated in FIG. 11, the UE processor comprises a receive module 801,a determination module 803, an evaluation module 805 and a transmissionmodule 807. The receive module 801 receives the uplink timing referencetransmission instruction message. The determination module 803determines the time interval specified in the uplink timing referencetransmission instruction message for transmitting the uplink timingreference transmission. The evaluation module 805 compares the timeinterval specified in the uplink timing reference transmissioninstruction message for transmitting the uplink timing referencetransmission with the time interval to be used to transmit data. If thetime interval for transmitting the uplink timing reference transmissionis the same as the time interval for transmitting the data, theevaluation module 805 informs the transmission module 807 not to sendthe uplink timing reference transmission. Otherwise, the transmissionmodule 807 sends the uplink timing reference transmission.

The network access equipment 20 also comprises a processor. As shown inFIG. 12, the processor comprises a receive module 901, an evaluationmodule 903 and a calculation module 905. Again, these modules aredefined for simplicity, and may be executed in software, hardware,firmware, or both. Additionally, these modules may be stored in the sameor different memories. The receiver module 901 receives the message. Theevaluation module 903 evaluates the time interval in the message whereit expects to receive an uplink timing reference transmission. If anuplink timing reference transmission is received, the evaluation module903 sends the uplink timing reference transmission to the calculationmodule 905 to calculate an uplink timing alignment adjustment. In an LTEsystem, the uplink timing reference transmission is a SRS. If an uplinktiming reference transmission is not received, then the evaluationmodule 905 sends a portion of the data in the specific time interval tothe calculation module. The calculation module then calculates theuplink timing alignment adjustment based upon the portion of datareceived. In an LTE system the portion of data received is the DM RS.

FIG. 7 illustrates a wireless communications system including anembodiment of the UE 10. The UE 10 is operable for implementing aspectsof the disclosure, but the disclosure should not be limited to theseimplementations. Though illustrated as a mobile phone, the UE 10 maytake various forms including a wireless handset, a pager, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a tablet computer, or alaptop computer. Many suitable devices combine some or all of thesefunctions. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the UE 10 is not ageneral purpose computing device like a portable, laptop or tabletcomputer, but rather is a special-purpose communications device such asa mobile phone, a wireless handset, a pager, a PDA, or atelecommunications device installed in a vehicle. In another embodiment,the UE 10 may be a portable, laptop or other computing device. The UE 10may support specialized activities such as gaming, inventory control,job control, and/or task management functions, and so on.

The UE 10 includes a display 402. The UE 10 also includes atouch-sensitive surface, a keyboard or other input keys generallyreferred as 404 for input by a user. The keyboard may be a full orreduced alphanumeric keyboard such as QWERTY, Dvorak, AZERTY, andsequential types, or a traditional numeric keypad with alphabet lettersassociated with a telephone keypad. The input keys may include atrackwheel, an exit or escape key, a trackball, and other navigationalor functional keys, which may be inwardly depressed to provide furtherinput function. The UE 10 may present options for the user to select,controls for the user to actuate, and/or cursors or other indicators forthe user to direct.

The UE 10 may further accept data entry from the user, including numbersto dial or various parameter values for configuring the operation of theUE 10. The UE 10 may further execute one or more software or firmwareapplications in response to user commands. These applications mayconfigure the UE 10 to perform various customized functions in responseto user interaction. Additionally, the UE 10 may be programmed and/orconfigured over-the-air, for example from a wireless base station, awireless access point, or a peer UE 10.

Among the various applications executable by the UE 10 are a webbrowser, which enables the display 402 to show a web page. The web pagemay be obtained via wireless communications with a wireless networkaccess node, a cell tower, a peer UE 10, or any other wirelesscommunication network or system 400. The network 400 is coupled to awired network 408, such as the Internet. Via the wireless link and thewired network, the UE 10 has access to information on various servers,such as a server 410. The server 410 may provide content that may beshown on the display 402. Alternately, the UE 10 may access the network400 through a peer UE 10 acting as an intermediary, in a relay type orhop type of connection.

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the UE 10. While a variety of knowncomponents of UEs 10 are depicted, in an embodiment a subset of thelisted components and/or additional components not listed may beincluded in the UE 10. The UE 10 includes a digital signal processor(DSP) 502 and a memory 504. As shown, the UE 10 may further include anantenna and front end unit 506, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 508,an analog baseband processing unit 510, a microphone 512, an earpiecespeaker 514, a headset port 516, an input/output interface 518, aremovable memory card 520, a universal serial bus (USB) port 522, ashort range wireless communication sub-system 524, an alert 526, akeypad 528, a liquid crystal display (LCD), which may include a touchsensitive surface 530, an LCD controller 532, a charge-coupled device(CCD) camera 534, a camera controller 536, and a global positioningsystem (GPS) sensor 538. In an embodiment, the UE 10 may include anotherkind of display that does not provide a touch sensitive screen. In anembodiment, the DSP 502 may communicate directly with the memory 504without passing through the input/output interface 518.

The DSP 502 or some other form of controller or central processing unitoperates to control the various components of the UE 10 in accordancewith embedded software or firmware stored in memory 504 or stored inmemory contained within the DSP 502 itself. In addition to the embeddedsoftware or firmware, the DSP 502 may execute other applications storedin the memory 504 or made available via information carrier media suchas portable data storage media like the removable memory card 520 or viawired or wireless network communications. The application software maycomprise a compiled set of machine-readable instructions that configurethe DSP 502 to provide the desired functionality, or the applicationsoftware may be high-level software instructions to be processed by aninterpreter or compiler to indirectly configure the DSP 502.

The antenna and front end unit 506 may be provided to convert betweenwireless signals and electrical signals, enabling the UE 10 to send andreceive information from a cellular network or some other availablewireless communications network or from a peer UE 10. In an embodiment,the antenna and front end unit 506 may include multiple antennas tosupport beam forming and/or multiple input multiple output (MIMO)operations. As is known to those skilled in the art, MIMO operations mayprovide spatial diversity which can be used to overcome difficultchannel conditions and/or increase channel throughput. The antenna andfront end unit 506 may include antenna tuning and/or impedance matchingcomponents, RF power amplifiers, and/or low noise amplifiers.

The RF transceiver 508 provides frequency shifting, converting receivedRF signals to baseband and converting baseband transmit signals to RF.In some descriptions a radio transceiver or RF transceiver may beunderstood to include other signal processing functionality such asmodulation/demodulation, coding/decoding, interleaving/deinterleaving,spreading/despreading, inverse fast Fourier transforming (IFFT)/fastFourier transforming (FFT), cyclic prefix appending/removal, and othersignal processing functions. For the purposes of clarity, thedescription here separates the description of this signal processingfrom the RF and/or radio stage and conceptually allocates that signalprocessing to the analog baseband processing unit 510 and/or the DSP 502or other central processing unit. In some embodiments, the RFTransceiver 508, portions of the Antenna and Front End 506, and theanalog baseband processing unit 510 may be combined in one or moreprocessing units and/or application specific integrated circuits(ASICs).

The analog baseband processing unit 510 may provide various analogprocessing of inputs and outputs, for example analog processing ofinputs from the microphone 512 and the headset 516 and outputs to theearpiece 514 and the headset 516. To that end, the analog basebandprocessing unit 510 may have ports for connecting to the built-inmicrophone 512 and the earpiece speaker 514 that enable the UE 10 to beused as a cell phone. The analog baseband processing unit 510 mayfurther include a port for connecting to a headset or other hands-freemicrophone and speaker configuration. The analog baseband processingunit 510 may provide digital-to-analog conversion in one signaldirection and analog-to-digital conversion in the opposing signaldirection. In some embodiments, at least some of the functionality ofthe analog baseband processing unit 510 may be provided by digitalprocessing components, for example by the DSP 502 or by other centralprocessing units.

The DSP 502 may perform modulation/demodulation, coding/decoding,interleaving/deinterleaving, spreading/despreading, inverse fast Fouriertransforming (IFFT)/fast Fourier transforming (FFT), cyclic prefixappending/removal, and other signal processing functions associated withwireless communications. In an embodiment, for example in a codedivision multiple access (CDMA) technology application, for atransmitter function the DSP 502 may perform modulation, coding,interleaving, and spreading, and for a receiver function the DSP 502 mayperform despreading, deinterleaving, decoding, and demodulation. Inanother embodiment, for example in an orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplex access (OFDMA) technology application, for the transmitterfunction the DSP 502 may perform modulation, coding, interleaving,inverse fast Fourier transforming, and cyclic prefix appending, and fora receiver function the DSP 502 may perform cyclic prefix removal, fastFourier transforming, deinterleaving, decoding, and demodulation. Inother wireless technology applications, yet other signal processingfunctions and combinations of signal processing functions may beperformed by the DSP 502.

The DSP 502 may communicate with a wireless network via the analogbaseband processing unit 510. In some embodiments, the communication mayprovide Internet connectivity, enabling a user to gain access to contenton the Internet and to send and receive e-mail or text messages. Theinput/output interface 518 interconnects the DSP 502 and variousmemories and interfaces. The memory 504 and the removable memory card520 may provide software and data to configure the operation of the DSP502. Among the interfaces may be the USB interface 522 and the shortrange wireless communication sub-system 524. The USB interface 522 maybe used to charge the UE 10 and may also enable the UE 10 to function asa peripheral device to exchange information with a personal computer orother computer system. The short range wireless communication sub-system524 may include an infrared port, a Bluetooth interface, an IEEE 802.11compliant wireless interface, or any other short range wirelesscommunication sub-system, which may enable the UE 10 to communicatewirelessly with other nearby mobile devices and/or wireless basestations.

The input/output interface 518 may further connect the DSP 502 to thealert 526 that, when triggered, causes the UE 10 to provide a notice tothe user, for example, by ringing, playing a melody, or vibrating. Thealert 526 may serve as a mechanism for alerting the user to any ofvarious events such as an incoming call, a new text message, and anappointment reminder by silently vibrating, or by playing a specificpre-assigned melody for a particular caller.

The keypad 528 couples to the DSP 502 via the interface 518 to provideone mechanism for the user to make selections, enter information, andotherwise provide input to the UE 10. The keyboard 528 may be a full orreduced alphanumeric keyboard such as QWERTY, Dvorak, AZERTY andsequential types, or a traditional numeric keypad with alphabet lettersassociated with a telephone keypad. The input keys may include atrackwheel, an exit or escape key, a trackball, and other navigationalor functional keys, which may be inwardly depressed to provide furtherinput function. Another input mechanism may be the LCD 530, which mayinclude touch screen capability and also display text and/or graphics tothe user. The LCD controller 532 couples the DSP 502 to the LCD 530.

The CCD camera 534, if equipped, enables the UE 10 to take digitalpictures. The DSP 502 communicates with the CCD camera 534 via thecamera controller 536. In another embodiment, a camera operatingaccording to a technology other than Charge Coupled Device cameras maybe employed. The GPS sensor 538 is coupled to the DSP 502 to decodeglobal positioning system signals, thereby enabling the UE 10 todetermine its position. Various other peripherals may also be includedto provide additional functions, e.g., radio and television reception.

FIG. 9 illustrates a software environment 602 that may be implemented bythe DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating system drivers 604 thatprovide a platform from which the rest of the software operates. Theoperating system drivers 604 provide drivers for the wireless devicehardware with standardized interfaces that are accessible to applicationsoftware. The operating system drivers 604 include applicationmanagement services (“AMS”) 606 that transfer control betweenapplications running on the UE 10. Also shown in FIG. 0 are a webbrowser application 608, a media player application 610, and Javaapplets 612. The web browser application 608 configures the UE 10 tooperate as a web browser, allowing a user to enter information intoforms and select links to retrieve and view web pages. The media playerapplication 610 configures the UE 10 to retrieve and play audio oraudiovisual media. The Java applets 612 configure the UE 10 to providegames, utilities, and other functionality. A component 614 might providefunctionality related to the present disclosure.

The UEs 10, ENBs 20, and central control 110 of FIG. 1 and othercomponents that might be associated with the cells 102 may include anygeneral-purpose computer with sufficient processing power, memoryresources, and network throughput capability to handle the necessaryworkload placed upon it. FIG. 10 illustrates a typical, general-purposecomputer system 700 that may be suitable for implementing one or moreembodiments disclosed herein. The computer system 700 includes aprocessor 720 (which may be referred to as a central processor unit orCPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondarystorage 750, read only memory (ROM) 740, random access memory (RAM) 730,input/output (I/O) devices 710, and network connectivity devices 760.The processor may be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

The secondary storage 750 is typically comprised of one or more diskdrives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data andas an over-flow data storage device if RAM 730 is not large enough tohold all working data. Secondary storage 750 may be used to storeprograms which are loaded into RAM 730 when such programs are selectedfor execution. The ROM 740 is used to store instructions and perhapsdata which are read during program execution. ROM 740 is a non-volatilememory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative tothe larger memory capacity of secondary storage. The RAM 730 is used tostore volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to bothROM 740 and RAM 730 is typically faster than to secondary storage 750.

I/O devices 710 may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystaldisplays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches,dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tapereaders, or other well-known input devices.

The network connectivity devices 760 may take the form of modems, modembanks, ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards,serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface(FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radiotransceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA) and/orglobal system for mobile communications (GSM) radio transceiver cards,and other well-known network devices. These network connectivity 760devices may enable the processor 720 to communicate with an Internet orone or more intranets. With such a network connection, it iscontemplated that the processor 720 might receive information from thenetwork, or might output information to the network in the course ofperforming the above-described method steps. Such information, which isoften represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed usingprocessor 720, may be received from and outputted to the network, forexample, in the form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrierwave.

Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executedusing processor 720 for example, may be received from and outputted tothe network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signalor signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signalembodied in the carrier wave generated by the network connectivity 760devices may propagate in or on the surface of electrical conductors, incoaxial cables, in waveguides, in optical media, for example opticalfiber, or in the air or free space. The information contained in thebaseband signal or signal embedded in the carrier wave may be orderedaccording to different sequences, as may be desirable for eitherprocessing or generating the information or transmitting or receivingthe information. The baseband signal or signal embedded in the carrierwave, or other types of signals currently used or hereafter developed,referred to herein as the transmission medium, may be generatedaccording to several methods well known to one skilled in the art.

The processor 720 executes instructions, codes, computer programs,scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk(these various disk-based systems may all be considered secondarystorage 750), ROM 740, RAM 730, or the network connectivity devices 760.While only one processor 720 is shown, multiple processors may bepresent. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by aprocessor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, orotherwise executed by one or multiple processors.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure,it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may beembodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spiritor scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to beconsidered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is notto be limited to the details given herein. For example, the variouselements or components may be combined or integrated in another systemor certain features may be omitted, or not implemented.

Also, techniques, systems, subsystems and methods described andillustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may becombined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, ormethods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.Other items shown or discussed as coupled or directly coupled orcommunicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicatingthrough some interface, device, or intermediate component, whetherelectrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes,substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in theart and could be made without departing from the spirit and scopedisclosed herein.

1. A method of uplink timing reference signal transmission in a userequipment comprising: receiving an uplink timing reference signaltransmission instruction message; determining a time interval to send atiming reference signal transmission in accordance with the timingreference signal transmission instruction message; evaluating if uplinkdata is to be sent in the time interval; and if there is data to besent, sending the data in the time interval, wherein the timingreference signal transmission is not sent in the time interval, elsesending the timing reference signal transmission in the time interval.2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the data in the time intervalfurther comprises sending a demodulation reference symbol in the timeinterval.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a timeinterval further comprises determining a sub-frame.
 4. method of uplinktiming alignment in a network access equipment comprising: receiving anuplink transmission comprised of at least one time interval; evaluatingthe time interval to determine if an uplink timing reference signaltransmission was received; and calculating an uplink timing alignmentadjustment based on the uplink timing reference signal transmission ifreceived, if no uplink timing reference signal transmission is received,calculating the uplink timing alignment adjustment based on datareceived in the time interval.
 5. The method of claim 4, whereinreceiving a message further comprises receiving a sub-frame.
 6. Themethod of claim 4, wherein calculating an uplink timing alignmentadjustment based on data received, further comprises calculating anuplink timing alignment adjustment based on a received demodulationreference symbol.
 7. A user equipment comprising: one or more processorsconfigured to promote receiving an uplink timing reference signaltransmission instruction message; the one or more processors furtherconfigured to determine a time interval to send a timing referencesignal transmission in accordance with the timing reference signaltransmission instruction message; the one or more processors furtherconfigured to evaluate if uplink data is to be sent in the timeinterval; and if there is data to be sent, the one or more processorsfurther configured to promote sending the data in the time interval,wherein the timing reference signal transmission is not sent in the timeinterval, else sending the timing reference signal transmission in thetime interval.
 8. The user equipment of claim 7, wherein the one or moreprocessors configured to promote sending the data in the time intervalfurther comprises the one or more processors being configured to promotesending a demodulation reference symbol in the time interval.
 9. Theuser equipment of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors configuredto determine a time interval further comprises the one or moreprocessors configured to determine a sub-frame.
 10. A network accessequipment comprising: one or more processors configured to promotereceiving a message comprised of at least one time interval; the one ormore processors further configured to evaluate the time interval todetermine if an uplink timing reference signal transmission wasreceived; the one more processors further configured to calculate anuplink timing alignment adjustment based on the uplink timing referencesignal transmission if received, if no uplink timing reference signaltransmission is received, calculating the uplink timing alignmentadjustment based on data received in the time interval.
 11. The networkaccess equipment of claim 10, wherein the one or more processorsconfigured to promote receiving a message further comprises the one ormore processors being configured to promote receiving a sub-frame. 12.The network access equipment of claim 10, wherein the one or moreprocessors configured to calculate an uplink timing alignment adjustmentbased on data received, further comprises the one or more processorsbeing configured to calculate an uplink timing alignment adjustmentbased on a received demodulation reference symbol.